Benefits of Fish Oil – During pregnancy

A new trial has found that pregnant woman who take fish oil supplements have proven children to develop with more muscles and stronger bones in early childhood.

Research from esteem university of Copenhagen has found out that pregnant woman who take omega-3 fatty acid pills daily from halfway through their pregnancy had children with a higher BMI by age six.

The study also showed that the children were less likely to have asthma or any related respiratory system.

The findings also suggested that the supplement is stimulating growth and followed by another study already being considered by the UK government which could lead to all mothers being reccomended to have the supplement during pregnancy.

The essential fats present in the supplement is important to be taken as these fats can not be made by our bodies.

However recent studies have doubted the health claims made for omega-3 and other health supplements in the adulthood, but they are important in early development.

An analysis by Imperial College London found out that the benefits of taking the supplement during pregnancy can help their children reduce their chances of developing food allergies,and is also being considered by the British government to be included in official guidelines.

Published in the British Medical Journal the research followed 736 Danish women and their children and randomly assigned them to either omega-3 or a dummy control pill to take between week 24 of pregnancy until one week after birth.

The study was taken to asses asthma rates, and found out 30 percent reduction in the fish oil group. but as a secondary measure the children were followed up annually to measure their height and weight and were given body composition x-ray scans at age 3.5 years and age six.

“Fish oil supplementation from the 24th week of pregnancy led to a higher BMI in the offspring from zero to six years of age but not an increased risk of obesity at age six,” the authors write.

“The body composition at age six years in children given fish oil supplementation was characterised by a proportional increase in lean, bone, and fat mass suggesting a general growth stimulating effect.”